The Ignored Emergency

Creative company House 337 and the charity Women’s Aid are launching The Ignored Emergency campaign to raise awareness of the deadly prevalence of domestic abuse in the UK. Through a multi-channel approach spanning online, digital out-of-home (DOOH), radio, social media, press, and influencers, the campaign is designed to evoke the style of traditional safety films and public service announcements. This familiar format draws audiences in, leading them to think they understand the message—only for the real focus to emerge, reframing domestic abuse as a critical public emergency. The campaign aims to raise funds for Women’s Aid's life-saving services.

Sarah Hill, Chair of Women’s Aid, highlighted the urgent need for resources: “Even when their lives are at risk, financial barriers make it impossible for many women to escape abuse. It can cost over £50,000 for a woman to leave an abusive relationship safely. We recently estimated that at least £516 million is needed to ensure that all women and children have access to specialist domestic abuse services.” She emphasised, “Domestic abuse must be recognised as an emergency, which is why we’ve repurposed the familiar format of a public safety campaign to spotlight the horrifying statistics: women are more unsafe with a partner than unbuckled in a car or sitting in a smoke-filled room.”

The campaign includes two central films: Fire Safety and Car Safety, directed by award-winning filmmaker Emma Branderhorst, known for her work on social issues. Each film begins with a classic safety scenario, offering a sense of familiarity and reassurance. But as the scenes shift, they reveal a domestic abuse context, underscoring the unseen and urgent nature of the issue. This sharp contrast between the expected and the unexpected highlights how domestic abuse remains hidden, even as it poses a constant threat. The films also share emergency instructions, like the use of the "silent solution" where dialling 999 and pressing 55 allows callers to signal for police help without speaking.

Branderhorst, whose work often addresses social themes from a female perspective, remarked, “Partnering with Women’s Aid, we’ve created films that confront the harsh truth: women in our society are still not safe. Through scenes of a burning house or a car accident, we immerse viewers in a universally recognisable emergency—only to reveal that these women live in a constant state of emergency, yet help never arrives. I hope to contribute to a world where domestic violence is no longer tolerated.”

Launching on November 12, the campaign will appear online, on social media, DOOH, and radio, with support from influencers. Key digital OOH partners Clear Channel and Ocean Outdoor will display the campaign in major UK cities, including London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Glasgow, Dundee, Southampton, and Manchester. Lucy Freedman, Chief Growth Officer at House 337, emphasised the campaign's call to action: “We want people to take an active role in supporting their friends, family, neighbours, and communities. Without donations, Women’s Aid cannot continue being the vital emergency service it is for so many women.”